Unsaturated fatty acids can be divided into what based on amount of double bonds?

Unsaturated fatty acids can be divided into what based on amount of double bonds?

• A. saturated and unsaturated
• B. cis and trans
• C. short-chain and long-chain
• D. monounsaturated and polyunsaturated

Answer: (D)

The amount of double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids determines their classification into monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. If there is one double bond, the fatty acid is monounsaturated; if there are two or more double bonds, it is polyunsaturated. This distinction directly reflects the number of double bonds, which is exactly what the question asks about. For example, oleic acid has one double bond and is monounsaturated, while linoleic and linolenic acids have two and three double bonds respectively and are polyunsaturated. The other options mix in features that relate to geometry (cis vs trans) or chain length, or describe whether any double bonds are present at all (saturated vs unsaturated), which are not about the count of double bonds.

The amount of double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids determines their classification into monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. If there is one double bond, the fatty acid is monounsaturated; if there are two or more double bonds, it is polyunsaturated. This distinction directly reflects the number of double bonds, which is exactly what the question asks about. For example, oleic acid has one double bond and is monounsaturated, while linoleic and linolenic acids have two and three double bonds respectively and are polyunsaturated. The other options mix in features that relate to geometry (cis vs trans) or chain length, or describe whether any double bonds are present at all (saturated vs unsaturated), which are not about the count of double bonds.